1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to sports swing training apparatus for use in connection with a sports implement, which may be a golf club. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sports swing training aid for adding resistance to a sports implement while practice swinging, to assist a user in improving his or her overall technique.
2. Description of the Background Art
Golf swing training products, of several designs and varieties, have been known in the prior art, and some of these products are commercially available today. Existing golf swing training products are often expensive to manufacture and may be heavy and/or cumbersome. The existing golf swing training products may include complex moving parts and may include numerous metal and/or plastic components. Many of the existing golf swing training products may be easily broken. The conventional ‘weighted donut’ golf swing training apparatus does not utilize wind resistance.
Examples of some issued patents on sports training apparatus are briefly described below.
U.S. patent 5,058,890, issued to Szabo in 1991 discloses a wind-resistance training device for use in connection with a baseball bat. The device of Szabo includes an elongated cylindrical sleeve with two sets of wings attached to and extending outwardly from the sleeve.
U.S. Patent 5,207,625, issued to White in 1993, discloses a swing motion device. The device of White has a plurality of collapsible wings mounted on a shaft that an athlete may grip and swing through the air. The wings provide air resistance against which the athlete's muscles must work. When the wings are collapsed, the device assumes a compact shape that facilitates transport and storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,188, issued to Hemberg in 1994, discloses a device for providing visual feedback to a golf player of his/her grip during a golf stroke. The apparatus of Hemberg helps a golfer maintain proper alignment of the golf club face in relation to the golf ball, while increasing the air resistance the player encounters during the golf stroke. The device includes a finned member, in which the fins are colored or otherwise marked, and subsequently attached on a golf club. The fins are oriented so that certain colors or other markings are not visible if the club head is in the desired position, but will be visible if the club head is in another orientation, e.g., open or closed. The fins also provide wind resistance during the swing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,048, issued to Kenney in 1996, discloses a golf swing practice device with a plurality of plastic “wings” that are airfoil-shaped for attaching to a golf shaft just above the head. The Kenney device utilizes wind resistance during a swinging of a golf club and the propeller-shaped wings cause a rotational torque to be exerted on the club, so as to promote proper club swing and rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,299, issued to Barnette in 2001, discloses a device for warm-up and muscle memory prior to playing a game of golf, and is also useful for training a user to develop a grooved swing pattern, and to build up swing-related muscles. The Barnette device consists of a one-piece plastic molded baffle with a plurality of wings extending lengthwise of a golf club shaft. The apparatus has a slot opening formed between two of the wings, to allow attachment to a club shaft. Barnette also has a U.S. Design Patent, (D441, 043) for a similar invention.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2001/0001094, issued to Panes in 2001, discloses an exercise apparatus which may be used in various shapes/forms for various exercising activities, all of which shapes/forms include a resilient, inflatable ball and several associated weights. The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 of the Panes application pertains to a golf swing training device, in which the weighted, inflatable ball is attached to the end of a golf shaft.
Although the aforementioned prior art devices function as intended, a need still exists for a simple, inexpensive sports swing training device that can be easily carried, and which is useful for helping a user develop a swing which is natural, true and consistent.